Richard Griffin actually knows stuff about baseball?

Great answer to a Jays mailbag question:

Q: So you want Burnett traded. I'm sure all Blue Jays fans are shocked to hear you say that...Give some sort of explanation. Why should they trade him? What will they get in return? Who are likely trading partners? If pitching is so hard to come by, as you quote Ricciardi as saying, then why would they trade a solid #2 starter? Look at his stats from the last 2 months of the season and you'll see what he can do. You also say you want the Jays to be competitors in 2008. Very true. What GM in their right mind would trade a player who is as ready to compete as Burnett is? You think you can get Erik Bedard back for him? Or Dan Haren? These are very desirable cost-controlled players. As you say, Burnett can leave after next season. Who is trading for him? You write this article without answering many key questions.
Ian Toye, Seoul, South Korea

A: Them sounds like fightin' words. They should trade him because the quality of his stuff outstrips the quality of his contributions and there are always teams that don't see him every day that will be fooled into overpaying for stuff that is a possible no-hitter every time he goes out there. They will get more in return than he has contributed in his two years as a Jay. The Cardinals, Orioles, Dodgers and others might have a look. Pitching is hard to come by and, as you point out, the Jays wouldn't trade a solid #2 starter — that is if they had one. The guy is 20-16 over his two Jays seasons, with 46 starts and 302 innings. That's #2 but only in a bodily function sense. His last two months were great, unfortunately the Jays were already out of it and a season is six months. His career high is 12 wins. Burnett for Bedard or Haren is very unimaginative. J.P. can do better than that in terms of filling other needs while at the same time getting a young arm back that could develop into a mid-rotation starter. Anyone that trades for him would be given the opportunity to extend his deal for another two or three years, otherwise the deal would not get done. There's a lot of anger in that question. Chill.

Agreed.